C++ Engineering Lead – Delta Force

Chicago Trading Company (CTC) is a premier proprietary trading firm specializing in options market making.  Our collaborative culture fuels innovation in quantitative research, systematic trading strategies, and cutting-edge trading technology.  For over three decades CTC has provided critical liquidity across derivatives exchanges worldwide - making them fairer, more transparent, and more efficient. We strive to be the most innovative firm in the industry today, tomorrow, and long into the future while upholding ethical excellence. We believe that CTC makes a positive impact on the markets, the lives of our employees, and all the communities to which we belong. Started in 1995 by a team of forward-thinking Traders, we are proud to call ourselves an industry leader that keeps making markets and each other better. The Delta Force team is looking for a Team Lead to own business-critical technical initiatives and manage a team of engineers within the delta trading execution group. You'll be a hands-on manager developing and maintaining high-performance valuation, execution, and post-trade systems. Working closely with Traders, Quants, and Technologists, you'll help drive the evolution of delta trading from a risk management function into a true alpha-generating strategy — integrating delta trading with volatility trading to capitalize on increased liquidity and tighter spreads. By mentoring your team, managing cross-functional projects, and upholding the highest standards of software engineering, you'll play a pivotal role in ensuring our delta trading infrastructure remains fast, efficient, and competitive. What You'll Do Technical Leadership & Development • Design and build high-performance delta one trading systems • Lead technical design discussions and drive architectural decisions • Work closely with traders, quants, and technologists to drive ideas from inception to production in a timely and robust manner • Ensure operational safety and uphold the highest standards of software engineering by thoroughly testing code, following a coherent and maintainable design and architecture, and adhering to best practices — prioritizing carefully planned, well-structured solutions over ad hoc implementations People & Project Management •  Lead and mentor a small team of engineers, supporting their professional growth and day-to-day technical work • Manage multiple concurrent projects, ensuring timely delivery while maintaining quality and reliability • Help establish team priorities in alignment with broader business and trading objectives • Foster a collaborative, high-performance team culture consistent with CTC's values What We're Looking For Required • A minimum of 5 years of experience working in a production environment using modern C++ • Demonstrated experience developing and maintaining large-scale C++ systems • Deep knowledge of low-level systems programming, optimization, and hardware/software co-design • Strong fundamentals in computer architecture and networking protocols • Experience writing multithreaded and distributed systems with an affinity for delivering clean, performant code • Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, balancing competing priorities without sacrificing quality • Ability to quickly triage issues and drive the resolution effort through completion Preferred • Experience managing or mentoring engineers (2–4 people), with a passion for developing talent and building strong teams • Experience working in the trading industry Compensation The salary range for this role is listed below. This role is also eligible for an annual discretionary bonus. The discretionary bonus will be dependent upon the individual’s skills, experience, qualifications, and firm performance.  Salary Range $225,000 — $250,000 USD Most teams at CTC, with the exception of Trading, follow a hybrid workplace model, subject to change based on business need. Our Benefits  We strongly believe in the well-being of our employees and their families so we offer outstanding benefits to support you both professionally and personally. These benefits include generous time off, insurance coverage, paid parental leave, free breakfast and lunch (plus healthy snacks, of course), wellness reimbursement, and a variety of other benefits focused on providing the best employee experience.  (Disclaimer: interns and contractors are not eligible for benefits at CTC)  Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion At CTC, we aim to cultivate a workplace that celebrates diversity and each person feels included, engaged and empowered. Where each of us feels we belong. We are committed to having a diverse workforce and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. CTC does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform crucial job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.  If you have a disability and believe you need a reasonable accommodation in order to search for a job opening or to apply for a position, please contact us at info@chicagotrading.com. Note that emails sent to this email account for non-disability related issues, such as following up on an application, will not receive a response. Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Information submitted by job applicants may be subject to review and analysis by automated systems, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), as part of the recruitment process. Such systems are utilized to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of our hiring procedures. Applicants are advised that any information provided may be evaluated by AI tools to ensure an equitable and thorough assessment.